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Sinn Féin Dublin Fingal TD Louise O’Reilly has expressed serious concern over news that 10% of Dublin Bus routes, including a number of local services, are to be privatised and run by a for-profit company.

Deputy O’Reilly said;

“There has been an agenda of privatisation in this state for some time now, however, under Fine Gael it has increased dramatically.

“The news that 10% of Dublin Bus routes are to be sold to a private, for-profit company is extremely worrying, not just because of the routes that now change hands to a private operator, but because it is the thin end of the wedge for the full privatisation of Dublin Bus.

“The privatisation of these routes is a matter of serious concern, not just for commuters, but for Dublin Bus workers and their families.

“We all know from seeing the privatisation of vital transport services in other countries that services get worse, costs go up, it is nearly impossible to hold private companies accountable, workers are undermined, and it is nearly impossible to reverse. This is all because private companies have only one motivation - profit.

“The privatisation of these 24 routes raises the real fear of a reduction of services on certain routes. Therefore, I am asking the National Transport Authority to make a commitment that there will be no reduction in services along the routes involved, many of which provide vital links – such as the 33A from Swords to balbriggan and the 33B which serves Swords through to Portrane.”